Fish with Green Papaya Salad

When I was young, salad was never an attractive proposition. In our household it featured a few lettuce leaves and some tomatoes. That was the extent of it, undressed and usually as an accompaniment to cold chicken. I can even remember the first time I tasted cucumber, on sandwiches, in the back room of the hut at Meikelriggs, home of Ferguslie Cricket Club, where we had been invited to sit down to tea with Archie Russell, one of the club patrons and a friend of my Uncle James and my dad. On a hot Saturday afternoon the cucumber tasted so fresh and it had a crunch: this was unusual!

Fortunately salads have moved on with the advent of so much more fresh produce available to consumers in the last thirty years. Yet it can be easy to fall into the lettuce/leaves, peppers, tomatoes and cucumber (Sharon excepted) routine instead of giving salads more thought. I've never been overly keen on strong raw flavours, and generally still baulk at raw onion and garlic, but when your taste buds are jaded then something like a Thai salad is just the job to enliven them.

Papaya is now available in greengrocers and supermarkets although I'm not sure how you can tell if the flesh is going to be ripe and orange or unripe and green when you open it, other than by pressing the papaya and hoping for the best. If you can't get green papaya then use a Granny Smith's apple, as its tartness is equally fresh. The dressing for this salad is lively! If you are scared off by the quantities, just cut down on the garlic and Tabasco and cayenne pepper, but be prepared to accept that the robust flavours are what makes this salad special.

I first came across this recipe for Mahi-Mahi with Green Papaya Salad in November when searching for something to do with papaya. As luck would have it, I had also bought Jerusalem artichokes and basil leaves and beansprouts too, so I tried this salad with another white fish, mahi-mahi generally being in short supply here in Scotland. It was a real winter warmer! Jerusalem artichokes are like knobbly potatoes and make wonderful creamy soups but I was surprised by their fresh crunchy texture when raw. Nothing like spuds!

Note: a mandoline makes the fine slicing and julienning so much easier, unless you're a wizard with a sharp knife. Also, the Pampered Chef serrated peeler is very useful for peeling the papaya with little waste.

To marinate the fish (tuna or swordfish steaks or a firm white fish):
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
2 tbsp green Thai curry paste
1 lb (450g) pound fish fillets
To make the dressing:
4-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsps fish sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
To make the salad:
1 medium green papaya, peeled, julienned (or 1 Granny Smith apple)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup fresh bean sprouts
about 4 Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and julienned, or water chestnuts
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp groundnut oil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
To finish:
Toasted pumpkin seeds or finely chopped peanuts

1. Preheat a grill or griddle pan.


2. Stir together the lemon juice and the curry paste. Add the fish and set aside.


3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.


4. Mix the papaya, onion, sprouts, artichokes, basil, groundnut oil, and cayenne in a large bowl. Set aside.


5. Remove fish from the marinade and transfer to the grill. Grill for 4 minutes; turn and grill 4 minutes longer, or until the fish is thoroughly cooked. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into thin strips.


6. Combine the fish with the salad and toss lightly. Drizzle the dressing over the top and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds or nuts. Divide into four bowls and serve immediately.

Cost: 6/10
Preparation time: 6/10 (can be a bit fiddly getting everything chopped up)
Ease of cooking: 10/10 (none!)
Taste: 9/10